Cutting Fine Arts in Schools
Cutting Fine Arts in Schools Fine arts programs are rapidly being cut around the country. When school systems are running out of money the first programs to be eliminated are the fine arts. School board members have no idea of what they are doing to students. They are unaware of the many benefits of fine arts programs in their schools. They also do not know how to run a successful fine arts program. Since 1993, when legislators imposed revenue corps on public schools, school districts have been forced to make some hard decisions about the ways they can cut back spending. Music and art programs are usually among the the first to receive severe blows. “Fine arts are vulnerable to budget cuts partly because children are not tested in music or art under No Child Left Behind.” said Benedict J. Smar, a University of Massachusetts music education professor (Deforge). School boards cut fine arts programs because they believe it is the easy way out of a financial crisis. Although fine arts programs are usually the first to be cut when budget cuts come to schools, fine arts can be considered the most important thing in a child’s education. A well- rounded education in the fine arts help students develop imagination, observation skills, critical thinking skills, deeper and more complex thinking skills, spatial reasoning and temporal skills, critical analysis, abstract thought, and pattern recognition (Hurley). Research shows that when students study the arts, it leads to higher achievement in other areas, especially when the arts are meaningfully integrated throughout different content areas. A Scientific American editorial which was headlined “Hearing the Music, Honing the Mind,” stated, “Music produces profound and lasting changes in the brain. Schools should add classes, not cut them,”(Russell). According to the “No Child Left Behind” act, the fine arts are counted as one of the ten core subjects. Also under “No Child Left Behind,” it violates federal law to cut arts
Cited: DeForge, Jeanette. “Fine Arts Programs Being Cut at Schools across Western Mass.” Massline 01 Aug. 2009: n.pag. Russell, Scott. “Setting Standards, Cutting Funding for Arts Education.” Daily Planet 19 Mar. 2008: n.pag. Streich, Michael. “Importance of Fine Arts and Music in the High School Curriculum.” Suite 101 04 Dec. 2010: n.pag.